WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Beckie hat-trick as Man City cruise past Lugano
Manchester City duly booked their place in the last 16 with a 4-0 win on the night and 11-1 on aggregate over Luganao at the Academy Stadium.
After a 7-1 victory in the first leg City were always favourites to progress and will hope they can eventually go one better then the two semi-final defeats over the last couple of seasons.
Any hopes of a shock comeback by Lugano evaporated after just 5 minutes when Janine Beckie was put through to chip over the advancing keeper Morgan Bertsch.
The rest of the half was City dominating possession in what was becoming a glorified practise game. Yet for all this there was little goalmouth action before Beckie doubled the host's advantage on 33 minutes.
It was almost three but Bertsch made a fine save from a close range Steph Houghton header.
City increased their lead at the beginning of the second half as Beckie claimed her hat-trick following some sloppy defending and a fortunate rebound.
The visitors are struggling in the league back home and this lack of quality was evident in their failure to trouble City.
After a sustained period of uneventful play number four arrived from substitute Pauline Bremer who rounded the keeper to slide home.
So City continue their 100% start to the season but know their will be tougher games ahead starting at the weekend when they play Everton in a top of the table Super League fixture.
Full Time
Man City: 4 (Beckie 5, 33, 48 Bremer 78)
Lugano: 0
Aggregate:
Man City 11
Lugano 1
Att: 949
Venue: Academy Stadium
